A Customer Success
from the Experts in
Business-Critical ContinuityTM.
Clariden Bank chooses innovative data centre management
Whether it’s called continuity planning or risk management, the protection of
electronic data from all kinds of threats is a concern for everyone in the banking
sector. Since mid-2003, Clariden Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Credit
Suisse Group, has operated two data centres at different locations in Zurich. The
data runs over IP connections and server management is done from one of the
two locations, all thanks to the most up-to-date server management technology
from Avocent.
Bank’s entire computer
centre managed by
Avocent KVM over IP
In planning the backup data centres, fixed costs determined the specification:
“Our goal was to manage the new branch operation with the existing operating
personnel,” said Adrian Bärlocher, the IT project leader responsible for the
architecture of the decentralised systems at Clariden Bank. Clariden chose the
DSR™2010 KVM over IP switch from Avocent because the solution enables
servers to be controlled and managed from any administrator workplace via
standard IP connections within a shielded network, regardless of distance.
Both locations would have sufficient resources to monitor business critical data
and applications. Using the Avocent DSView® software interface, the system
administrator can monitor the status of all computers. In case of malfunction,
access down to BIOS level on all 80 Windows® and Novell servers makes a
reboot easy.
“I can control the second computer centre on the edge
of the city from my workplace in Zurich city centre.”
– Adrian Bärlocher, Technical Information Technology
project leader, at Clariden Bank Group
For this reason, the administrators seldom see the inside of the server
room anymore. “That saves us a lot of running around, and a lot of time,”
said Bärlocher. Administrative work has also decreased, “When I saw the
selfexplanatory tree structure of the DSView server management software, I
knew I would no longer need my Excel overview of all encapsulated systems.”
Meeting the highest security demands
The digital server management solution developed by Avocent meets the
highest demands in the sensitive area of data protection at this bank. All systems
protected by a firewall are managed using the Avocent DSR switching solution.
“In this way we ensure that no feedback from the internal network is possible,
unlike alternative software solutions,” said Bärlocher.
A Customer Success
from the Experts in
Business-Critical ContinuityTM.
Improved reaction times
Complete control over both data centres is important to the system
administrators, and not just during working hours. Access during
standby service periods is also possible on the basis of a variety of
encryption mechanisms and access controls. “If my mobile phone
receives a malfunction text message from the system, I can restart
any server from my computer at home,” said Bärlocher. “This reduces
the number of journeys I have to make and also reduces reaction
times.” There is also a psychological component, according to
Bärlocher. The increase in checks gives those responsible for the
system the assurance that they have everything under control. In
the first six months in which the second data centre on the edge of
the city was managed from the control centre in Zurich city centre,
expectations were met completely.
“For normal operation of the less critical servers, we still use
software-based server management. But for all the rest, or when
the software just doesn’t answer any more, we use Avocent server
management,” said Bärlocher.
Further expansion is planned
Further expansion with remote control for the total power supply is
also in the planning stages. The data centre team at Clariden Bank
have increased the efficiency of their own work with the decision to
use a digital server management solution from Avocent.
The Clariden Bank Group has a standard: “We use the most up-todate information technologies.” By choosing a server management
solution from Avocent, they have met this standard.
Clariden Bank Group
The internationally-active Clariden Bank Group is among the most
well-known retail banks in Switzerland. The wholly-owned subsidiary
of the Credit Suisse Group specialises in asset management and
investment counselling as well as all associated services. In 2002,
gross profit was 157 million Swiss francs. The group employs around
600 people worldwide. In addition to the headquarters in Zurich,the
Clariden Bank Group has four branches in Switzerland (Geneva, Basel,
Olten, Lugano) and has banks on Guernsey and the Cayman Islands.
There are representations in London, Lisbon, Oslo, Singapore and
Hong Kong. Buenos Aires and São Paulo are additional locations.On
the Internet: www.clariden.com
The IT architects at Clariden Bank are currently thinking about
expanding the digital control to all components in both data centres.
A test with the CPS serial over IP network appliance from Avocent is
planned for the management of serial devices like hubs and routers.
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